Ornamental hair clip



June 1967 D. A. TRIANGOLO 3,

ORNAMENTAL HAIR CL IP Filed Sept. 28, 1964 INVENTOR. DANIEL A. TRIANGOLOm g/M f ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofifice 3,324,864 Patented June13, 1967 3,324,864 ORNAMENTAL HAIR CLIP Daniel A. Triangolo, Cranston,12.1., assignor to Danal gewelry (30., Providence, R.I., a corporationof Rhode sland Filed Sept. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 399,599 4 Claims. (Cl.132-46) The present invention relates generally to a hair clip and ismore particularly concerned with the provision of a novel and improvedhair clip that is both decorative and functional and which is relativelyeasy and economical to manufacture.

Hair clips of the type with which the instant invention is concernedhave long been used for clamping the hair to maintain it in a formedcurl. Although clips of this type have a very definite functionalpurpose, they are also made, in most instances, so as to have adecorative appearance. Thus, the usual prior art practice has been touse a clip or clamp member, quite often of the general type illustratedin US. Patent Re. 23,163 dated Nov. 1, 1949, and then aflix to the clip,usually by soldering or the like, a decorative member that will bevisible when the clip is in use. The practice has, therefore, been formanufacturers of hair clips of this general nature to purchase clips orclamps of the type illustrated in Patent Re. 23,163 as a finding andthen perform a subsequent operation wherein an ornamental part issecured to the clip. It will be seen that this conventional practiceinvolves the expense of the clip per se, the expense of the ornamentalpart, and the expense of the assembly step wherein the ornamental partis secured to the clip.

It is therefore a primary object of my invention to provide a hair clipof the general type above described wherein the ornamental portion formsa part of the clip per se, thus eliminating the necessity of having tosecure a separate ornamental member to the clip.

Another important object of my invention is the provision of adecorative and functional hair clip that is much easier and lessexpensive to manufacture than conventional prior art hair clips of thistype.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a hair clip whereinthe ornamental member is a part of the Clip per se, but wherein the hairclip is so constructed that the means by which the ornamental member andthe clamping arm are pivotally secured to each other is not visible fromthe front of the clip.

Another object is the provision of a hair clip of the characterdescribed that readily lends itself to a wide variety of attractive anddecorative appearances and which is highly effective and durable inoperation.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent as the description thereof proceeds When considered inconnection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplatedfor carrying out the instant invention:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a hair clip constructed inaccordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged bottom edge view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged rear view thereof; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded rear perspective view thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, a hair clip constructed in accordancewith my invention is shown generally at 10, said clip comprising anornamental front plate 12 and a clamping arm 14. The plate 12 isconstructed of any desired material, although I prefer to construct itof a metallic material, such as brass or steel. As will be clearly Seen,plate 12 is of elongated shape and may be cut or stamped to any desiredconfiguration in order to enhance the appearance thereof. The frontsurface 16 of plate 12 may be embossed or engraved as at 18 in order tofurther enhance the decorativeness and appearances of clip 10.

Adjacent one end of the rear surface 20 of plate 12 there is provided areversely bent flap 22 that extends integrally from one end of the plate12. As will be seen most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 4, the fiap 22 is bowedso as to be spaced from rear surface 20, said fiap terminating at itsfree end in an inner edge 24 that is located closely adjacent rearsurface 20. Inner edge 24 is provided with a centrally disposed notch26, the purpose of which will hereinafter become apparent. Flap 22 isfurther characterized by a pair of integrally struck rearwardlyextending mounting ears 28 and an integrally struck rearwardly extendinglug 30 located between the cars 28 and edge 32 of plate 12. It will thusbe seen that the entire plate 12, including any ornamentation that maybe provided on the front surface thereof, may be easily stamped andformed from sheet metal at relatively low cost.

Turning now to clamping arm 14, it will be seen that said arm comprisesa pair of elongated openings 34 blanked therein and a mounting portion36 at one end thereof. As will be seen most clearly in FIG. 4, mountingportion 36 comprises a base portion 38 having a pair of openings 40located therein. Said mounting portion further comprises a rearwardlyextending grip tab 42 that has integrally struck therefrom an elongatedspring tongue 44, said tongue extending through opening 34 andterminating in an inturned lip 46. It will be understood that clampingarm 14 is constructed of suitably tempered metal so that tongue 44 mayfunction as a spring in the manner now to be described.

In order to assemble clamping arm 14 to plate 12, it is simply necessaryto position the arm so that openings 40 receive cars 28 therethrough andso that inturned lip 46 is positioned in notch 26 and interengages theunder surface of flap 22. With the parts so assembled, the clamp ing armis pivotally mounted to plate 12, whereupon depression of tab 42 causesarm 14 to lock about its mounting on bowed flap 22 until tab 42 engageslug 30. Thus, the lug 30 functions as a stop means for limiting the opening movement of clamp arm 14, and it will be seen that the degree towhich arm 14 can be opened may be adjusted by reducing the height of lug30 by bending it rearwardly. It will be understood that as clamping arm14 moves to open position, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 2, springtongue 44 is tensioned, whereupon when the clamping arm is released,said spring means will automatically return the clamping arm to closedposition. Expressed diflierently, the spring tongue 44 normally biasesclamping arm 14 to the closed or full-line position of FIG. 2.

The bowed configuration of flap 22 is important since it facilitates therocking or pivotal movement of clamping arm 14, and, at the same time,by maintaining the mounted end of the clamping arm in spaced relationfrom plate 12, a better clamping action is achieved. Since the flap 22is located entirely behind plate 12, it follows that the means by whicharm 14 and plate 12 are pivotally connected is not visible from thefront of clip 10, thus insuring that front surface 16 may be a completeand unbroken surface, which is of obvious importance from an appearancestandpoint.

It has been found that by constructing my hair clip in theaforedescribed manner, a saving of approximately 50 percent may beeffected as compared to the conventional clip of this type wherein aseparate ornamental front plate is secured to a clip finding of the typeillustrated in US. Patent Re. 23,163. At the same time, my novel andimproved clip may comprise substantially the same ornamental appearanceas a clip constructed of a separate ornamental plate and a clip finding,and it has been found to be equally durable and effective in operation.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structureembodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the artthat various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventiveconcept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms hereinshown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hair clip comprising an elongated front plate having a frontornamental surface and a rear surface, an integral reversely bent flapat one end of said plate extending over a portion of said rear surface,said flap being bowed so that the free inner edge thereof is locatedclosely adjacent said rear surface while the remainder of said flap isspaced therefrom, a clamping arm operatively connected to the exposedsurface of said flap at approximately the central portion thereof forpivotal movement toward and away from said rear surface, and springmeans carried by said arm and engaging said flap for normally biasingsaid arm against said rear surface, said spring means comprising atongue struck integrally from said arm, said tongue having an inturnedlip at its end hooked beneath the inner edge of said flap, said inneredge having a notch therein receiving said tongue and lip.

2. A hair clip comprising an elongated ornamental front plate havingfront and rear surfaces, an integral reversely bent flap at one end ofsaid plate extending over a portion of said rear surface, said flapbeing bowed so that the free inner edge thereof is located closelyadjacent said rear surface while the remainder of said fiap is spacedtherefrom, a clamping arm operatively connected to the exposed surfaceof said flap at approximately the central portion thereof for pivotalmovement toward and away from said rear surface, and spring meanscarried by said arm and engaging said flap for normally biasing said armagainst said rear surface, said spring means comprising a tongue struckintegrally from said arm, said tongue having an inturned lip at its endhooked beneath said flap, said arm having a grip tab that extendsrearwardly with respect to said flap at the end of said arm adjacent itsmounting on said flap, whereby when said tab is depressed toward saidflap, said clamping arm pivots to open position against the action ofsaid spring means, and an integral, rigid lug extending from said flapfor engagement by said tab when the latter is depressed, thus limitingthe depression of said tab and hence the opening movement of said arm.

3. A hair clip comprising an elongated ornamental front plate havingfront and rear surfaces, an integral reversely bent flap at one end ofsaid plate extending over a portion of said rear surface, a clamping armoperatively connected to the exposed surface of said flap for pivotalmovement toward and away from said rear surface, and spring meanscarried by said arm and engaging said flap for normally biasing said armagainst said rear surface, said spring means comprising a tongue struckintegrally from said arm, said tongue having an inturned lip at its endhooked beneath the inner edge of said flap, said inner edge having anotch therein receiving said tongue and lip, said arm having a grip tabthat extends rearwardly with respect to said flap at the end of said armadjacent its mounting on said flap, whereby when said tab is depressedtoward said flap, said clamping arm pivots to open position against theaction of said spring means, and an integral, rigid lug extending fromsaid flap for engagement by said tab when the latter is depressed,

thus limiting the depression of said tab and hence the.

opening movement of said arm.

4. The hair clip of claim 3 further characterized in that said flap isbowed so that the free inner edge thereof is located closely adjacentsaid rear surface while the remainder of said flap is spaced therefrom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,057,366 10/1962 Fink 132-483,090,389 5/1963 Eckman 132-41 3,106,214 10/1963 Reiner 13248 3,106,21510/1963 Grandis et al 13248 3,213,509 10/1965 Reiner 13248 X RICHARD A.GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT E. MORGAN, Examiner.

R. L. FRINKS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A HAIR CLIP COMPRISING AN ELONGATED FRONT PLATE HAVING A FRONTORNAMENTAL SURFACE AND A REAR SURFACE, AN INTEGRAL REVERSELY BENT FLAPAT ONE END OF SAID PLATE EXTENDING OVER A PORTION OF SAID REAR SURFACE,SAID FLAP BEING BOWED SO THAT THE FREE INNER EDGE THEREOF IS LOCATEDCLOSELY ADJACENT SAID REAR SURFACE WHILE THE REMAINDER OF SAID FLAP ISSPACED THEREFROM, A CLAMPING ARM OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE EXPOSEDSURFACE OF SAID FLAP AT APPROXIMATELY THE CENTRAL PORTION THEREOF FORPIVOTAL MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID REAR SURFACE, AND SPRINGMEANS CARRIED BY SAID ARM AND ENGAGING SAID FLAP FOR NORMALLY BIASINGSAID ARM AGAINST SAID REAR SURFACE, SAID SPRING MEANS COMPRISING ATONGUE STRUCK INTEGRALLY FROM SAID ARM, SAID TONGUE HAVING AN INTURNEDLIP AT ITS END HOOKED BENEATH THE INNER EDGE OF SAID FLAP, SAID INNEREDGE HAVING A NOTCH THEREIN RECEIVING SAID TONGUE AND LIP.